Everton have long been linked with Anderlecht talent Leander Dendoncker but their slow start to the Premier League season could be costly.
Goodison Park emerged as one of the most enticing destinations in the summer transfer window.
With majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri giving Everton access to unprecedented funds and the club open about their ambitions to fight for a place in the Champions League in the near future, in-demand talents like Gylfi Sigurdsson, Michael Keane and Henry Onyekuru decided that Merseyside was the place to be.
Though with The Toffees currently falling well below expectations and sitting in the Premier League relegation zone, managerless and bottom of their Europa League group too, Everton may discover that it’s far more difficult to entice players to Goodison in January unless they turn their fortunes around between now and the New Year.
After all, it seems Anderlecht midfielder Leander Dendoncker may be having second thought about the prospect of moving to Everton.
“I’d rather play in England, Germany or Spain. I also have to choose the right club. Is going to a team in the bottom half of the Premier League interesting? I don’t know,” the 22-year-old Belgian international told Sport Magazine.
“Of course, playing against the big clubs every two to three weeks is a step forward but, on the other hand, Anderlecht play in the Champions League. It’s up to me to make the right choice.”
Reading between the lines, it seems the fact that Everton’s Champions League dream has died nine games into the new Premier League season has given Dendoncker plenty of food for thought.
The Sun reported in the summer that The Toffees saw a £15 million bid rejected for the powerhouse but Everton are understood to be still interested.
Though their hopes of landing one of Europe’s most promising midfielders may rely on a stunning return to form before the beginning of 2018.
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